Cayenne Coupe: Engine and Handling

The engine is very quiet while driving, too. Road and engine noise are well insulated, creating a very comfortable space to travel in. The test car had the sport exhaust, so I switched it on, but the cabin was still quiet. At this level of refinement, the sport exhaust might not be essential—at least with the windows closed.

I opened the windows, headed for a winding road, and let the engine rev a little in Sport mode. A smooth, even V6 note came through: “whoooom!” It doesn’t make much of a statement at low or mid revs, but the sound gets much better as the revs climb. Compared with the Panamera 4S, which uses the same engine, the Cayenne sounds less high-pitched and has more emphasis in the midrange.

The engine feels about as powerful as you’d expect from the quoted 0–100 km/h time of five seconds. These days, with more and more cars breaking into the three-second range, it’s easy to lose perspective—but not long ago, that would have made this an exceptionally high-performance car. You’re unlikely to find it slow or lacking in power, and you’re unlikely to feel disappointed when another car pulls away from you on the highway.

The torque delivery is natural, and while the engine is revving, you’re unlikely to notice that it’s turbocharged. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, the torque can feel a little abrupt when accelerating after a kickdown. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on the road and the situation, so it’s difficult to give a blanket verdict.

It’s difficult to sum up the Cayenne’s handling in a single sentence, given the many combinations of ride height and drive mode. But take it onto a winding road in the most sporting Sport Plus mode, and its SUV-defying agility is immediately obvious. Body roll is kept to a minimum, and you can clearly feel the body tighten up around you.

Among Porsches, the Cayenne S Coupe is one of the models where the differences between drive modes are especially noticeable.

You don’t have to think too hard about it: simply steer into a corner, and the car loads up confidently and turns just where you want it to. With no passengers on board, it’s a car you can genuinely enjoy on a winding road. In moments like this, it’s unmistakably a Porsche, even as an SUV.

So what’s it like on a winding road in Normal mode? The best way to put it is that it feels like driving another manufacturer’s SUV in Sport mode. There’s more body roll than in Sport Plus, and the car feels more relaxed, but it doesn’t suffer from excessive understeer or anything like that.

It’s more than capable of keeping up at a brisk pace on public roads, and I think just about anyone could drive it quickly.

Cayenne S Coupe: The Verdict

When I first discovered Porsche, I didn’t like the Cayenne. A Porsche SUV? A Porsche that’s tall and big? I didn’t think that was a Porsche, and I couldn’t understand why someone would choose a Porsche SUV when buying an SUV. There was a time when I’d turn down a test drive, even when the dealer offered one.

Since then, I’ve owned several Porsches, including a Boxster, a GT3, and a Panamera. I’ve driven them everywhere, from my daily commute to the racetrack, and I’ve been fortunate enough to experience all kinds of Porsches—from air-cooled models to iconic classics.

With those experiences behind me, I can now drive a Cayenne and see that it’s no halfway measure. It isn’t simply a “Volkswagen Group car wearing a Porsche badge,” built to cash in on the SUV boom. I now understand that Porsche put real thought into making a true Porsche within the constraints of an SUV’s size and weight.

So if you’re buying a Cayenne, there’s absolutely no need to feel guilty about not choosing a 911. In fact, I’d go so far as to say: don’t buy a Cayenne just because you think you want an SUV. Think of it as buying and driving a Porsche—because that’s exactly what you’re doing.

The Cayenne S Coupe is a very well-engineered Porsche. It’s probably one of the most luxurious models in the Porsche lineup. The Panamera is luxurious too, but the Cayenne has an even more comfort-focused character. If the GT models, such as the GT3, represent the sporty peak of the Porsche range, then the Cayenne family sits at the top of the luxury end.

That’s how comfortable, refined, and relaxing it is. At the same time, its assured handling, the almost irresistible urge to keep driving, its outstanding performance, and its incredibly controllable brakes are all unmistakably Porsche.

The Cayenne S Coupe could be a great fit if you love its beautiful roofline and low-slung stance, and you value powerful acceleration, strong performance, and a satisfying engine character at higher speeds—beyond what you’d expect from an SUV in everyday driving.

My Personal Ratings

Handling:	(4.0 / 5)
Straight-line stability:	(5.0 / 5)
Low-speed comfort:	(5.0 / 5)
High-speed comfort:	(5.0 / 5)
Engine feel:	(4.0 / 5)
Engine sound:	(3.9 / 5)
Brakes:	(4.8 / 5)
Transmission:	(4.3 / 5)
Average:	(4.5 / 5)